Christopher Nickell | |
---|---|
Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court | |
Assumed office December 11, 2019 | |
Preceded by | David Buckingham |
Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals | |
In office January 1,2007 –December 11,2019 | |
Preceded by | Rick A. Johnson |
Succeeded by | Chris McNeill |
Personal details | |
Born | Christopher Shea Nickell 1958or1959(age 65–66) Paducah,Kentucky,U.S. |
Political party | Republican [1] |
Education | DePauw University (BA) University of Kentucky (JD) |
Christopher Shea Nickell (born c. 1958 or 1959) [2] is an American lawyer who has served a justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Nickell,a native of Paducah,Kentucky,graduated from the city's Paducah Tilghman High School in 1977,followed by a Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1984. [3] [4]
Prior to being appointed as a judge,Nickell practiced law for 22 years. [5] He served as an instructor at Murray State University teaching Insurance and Risk Management and he also taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill teaching jurisprudence. [4]
In 2006,Nickell was elected to be a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. [6]
On February 6,2019,Nickell announced he was running for the seat on the Kentucky Supreme Court vacated by the retirement of Bill Cunningham. [5] [7] He was elected on November 5,2019,defeating state senator Whitney Westerfield. [8] [2] He was sworn into office on December 11,2019. [9] [10]
Nickell has been a member of the Paducah Lions Club since 1989. He is also an Eagle Scout,he has been recognized as a Kentucky Colonel,Honorary Captain of the Belle of Louisville and a Sagamore of the Wabash. [6] He is a Life Sponsor of Ducks Unlimited. He is also a 32 Degree Mason,a Silver Life Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People,a Life Fellow of the Kentucky Bar Foundation,a Gideon,and a deacon at Paducah's Heartland Church. [4]
Nickell and his wife,Carolyn S. Watson are both a Melvin Jones Fellow. [6]
Year | Non Partisan | Votes | Pct | Non Partisan | Votes | Pct | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Christopher Shea NICKELL | 71,941 | 57.35% | Whitney H. WESTERFIELD | 53,497 | 42.65% |